Help with new mods

[Stingray]

Please help... how do you install new mods for CMSF? :confused:

Just downloaded the 3rd ID mod. Don't know what to do next. Need somebody to teach me step by step how to install it. I have a computer deficiency syndrome

Thanks

[M1A1TC]

Well, it's explained in the Mod Tools folder that comes with 1.05 patch

In short, to get my mod to work,

1. Create folder called "Z" in C:\Program Files\Battlefront\Combat Mission Shock Force\Data\Z

2. Unzip the mod into "Z" folder.

3. That's it

My mod is in BMP format, not .BRZ

I just didnt want to mess with it. It should still work

"INTRODUCTION

Two programs are provided for modding Combat Mission: Shock Force sound and graphic files - RezExplode and RezPack. Both programs work with ".brz" files, which are "packed" data files containing the individual sounds and graphics used by Combat Mission. For simplicity we'll refer to the contents of a ".brz" file - the sounds and graphics - as "resources". These contents are not normally visible, but can be extracted using RezExplode.

RezExplode takes a ".brz" file and "explodes" it into its individual resources (like ".wav" files for sounds and ".bmp" for graphics). These individual resources can then be edited or replaced by you.

RezPack takes the resources that you have modded, and "packs" them back into a single ".brz" file. This is not only convenient, but allows users to (de)activate a "mod pack" easily by moving a single ".brz" file into or out of the CMSF "Data" folder.

In the main Combat Mission Shock Force folder is a folder called "Data". Here is where all the sounds and graphics for the game are stored. You'll see files with names like "Version 100.brz", "Version 101.brz" and possibly others. To mod CMSF, you'll use RezExplode to access the contents (resources) of the ".brz" files that ship with the game (like "Version 100.brz"), then edit the ones you want, and then use RezPack to recombine your modded versions of the sounds and graphics into a new ".brz" file that you will name.

LOADING ORDER

When Combat Mission starts up, it loads all the .brz files it finds in the Data folder. However, it's possible that a given sound or graphic (say, "tank texture.bmp") might be contained in more than one .brz file, and the two files might be different despite having the same name.

Combat Mission has a method to ensure that the "latest" version of a sound or graphic is always the one used by the game: the .brz file name that is LATER in alphabetical and numerical order is given priority. For example, if "tank texture.jpg" is contained in both "A.brz" and "B.brz", the version contained in "B.brz" will be used, and the one inside "A.brz" will be ignored. Similarly, "Version 101.brz" takes priority over "Version 100.brz" because it comes later numerically.

As you explode the .brz files that come with the game, you'll notice some duplicates of various texture graphics and such. The alphanumeric loading order allows later-version .brz files to take priority over the earlier ones. This is important because you want to make sure that your mods get priority over the sounds and graphics that ship with the game. See below for details.

REZEXPLODE

To access the contents of a .brz file, COPY it into the "input" folder inside the RezExplode folder. Now run RezExplode by double-clicking it.

There is no user interface. Just wait a few moments until an "exploded" folder appears. This process can take a few minutes for large .brz files, just be patient. While the program is working, you may see a folder named "--in progress--" appear briefly. Just leave that alone as it will be removed once the utility is done extracting the resource files. Once the utility completes and the "exploded" folder appears, the files inside the "exploded" folder are the ones you'll want to consider modding, and later repacking using RezPack.

Note: You can copy more than a single .brz file into your RezExplode input folder before running RezExplode. RezExplode will "explode" all of them together.

Once RezExplode has finished, you will find the game sounds files located in the "sound" folder while modifiable graphics are located in the "bmp" folder. There is no file map currently available for the sound and graphics files but most are logically named and should not be hard to figure out.

Note: When you run RezExplode, any older files already located in the "exploded" directory will be deleted and replaced ONLY with the new files from the brz file(s) currently in the input directory.

REZPACK

When you've finished modding the sounds or graphics you want, you can package them back up as a new .brz file.

Copy your modded files into the "input" folder inside the RezPack folder. It's OK to copy nested folders here - RezPack will dig down into the folder hierarchy to find all your modded files.

Run RezPack. There is no user interface. Wait a few moments until a "packed.brz" file appears. You should rename this file as you wish. It is ready to be moved into Combat Mission's "Data" folder (see section below for details).

RezPack also creates a file called "log.txt" or "log error.txt". Inside this file you'll see some useful information. If the file is called "log error.txt" it means that you accidentally packed two or more resource files with the same name (inside different nested folders) and the log file will list these "conflicts" at the top of the file. You will likely want to remove all but one of the conflicting files and run RezPack again. Also contained in the log.txt file is a list of all the resource files you packed, and the nested folder hierarchy (if any) they came from.

MODS IN ACTION

Now that you've created your mods as .brz file(s), it's time to see them work inside Combat Mission. Here is the easiest way to be sure that your mod files get loading priority over the files that ship standard with Combat Mission.

First, be aware that inside the Data folder, any new sub-directories (folders) that are added also adhere to the same alphanumeric loading priority system as detailed above. With that in mind, go inside the Data folder and create a new folder called "Z". Because "Z" comes after the names of the standard game files ("Version XXX") you are guaranteed that any mods you put into the "Z" folder will be loaded and used by Combat Mission.

Second, note that among the .brz mod files you create and put into this "Z" folder, the alphanumeric rule still applies within that folder. So if you have "MyMod1.brz" and "MyMod2.brz" files both inside the "Z" folder, data from "MyMod2.brz" will take priority over "MyMod1.brz" for any duplicate contents.

You may also place single *non-brz* files into the Data "Z" folder (like individual .WAV or .BMP files). Combat Mission can recognize individual BMP or WAV files even when not packed into a BRZ file. This is not recommended when creating a "mod pack" for use by others because dozens or hundreds of individual files are difficult to manage, but it can be useful while you are creating your mod, and want to test out small edits. Individual files are given loading priority over ALL .brz files regardless of how they are named.

Madmatt's note: What I did for my version of CMSF (which is heavily sound moded) was to create a series of folders called; Version 200, Version 201, Version 203 etc.. in my Data directory. In each of these folders are various moded sound files. I stared with the number 200 because I am pretty sure we are not ever going to have 95 patches for CMSF (200 is 95 higher than the current version 105) so it’s a safe number to begin with. You of course can name your new mod folders however you want as long as the names come alphanumerically AFTER the most recent .brz file listed in the root of Data.

To test this, we have provided a few sample wav files. They represent two different ambient background sounds, one with background artillery and combat noises and one with ambient Syrian environmental sounds. To find them, look inside the "Mod Tools\Sample Files" directory. Inside you will see a folder named "Version 200". Inside that folder are two alternative background sounds. Choose the one you wish to hear in the game, rename it to "background.wav" (without the quotes) and copy and paste the entire Version 200 folder into your Data directory. Now when you play the game, you will hear the new background file that you selected.

IMPORTANT

Don't remove the "Version XXX.brz" files from the Data folder. The loading-priority system will ensure that your mods are used when present. Don't play with the contents of Combat Mission's Data folder while Combat Mission is running. To get a "clean" reload of mods, quit Combat Mission, move and modify the .brz files around as you wish, then restart Combat Mission.

Mods you create and pack as .brz files do NOT have to replace (or include) all the contents of whatever .brz files you originally "exploded". You should RezPack ONLY the resources you modded, and Combat Mission will locate the others in their original .brz files."

[ December 19, 2007, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: M1A1TankCommander ]

[Stingray]

Thanks for helping a coputer defficient ole man.

Thanks for the mod...I love it !!

[M1A1TC]

Thanks, I hope other "grogs" like it as well

[ChrisND]

When you re-name the BRZ file, make sure you keep".brz" at the end or the game won't use it. This confused me for a bit.